


We Might As Well Forget About Sleep

by LJF



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, First Time Parents, Fluff, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:20:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LJF/pseuds/LJF
Summary: Pema's mother hadwarnedher about the sleepless nights, of course-- she just hadn't taken the warnings seriously.That had been a mistake.
Relationships: Jinora & Pema (Avatar), Jinora & Tenzin (Avatar), Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 16
Collections: Avatar Rarepair Exchange 2021





	We Might As Well Forget About Sleep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Katie_Flint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katie_Flint/gifts).
  * Inspired by [My Magical Universe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759208) by [Kit2000andAnna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kit2000andAnna/pseuds/Kit2000andAnna). 



> This is my first time writing from the POV of any of the LOK characters-- I hope I did an okay job!

The baby was crying again.

"Tenzin, can you handle her?" There was no reponse.

_Right, he went to visit the South Pole for the Avatar's birthday._

Pema groaned, rolling out of bed. Shuffling, she put on her slippers and robe, and started heading for the nursery. Why had they decided it was a good idea to move Jinora out of their room?

_Oh yeah, because she's supposed to be sleeping through the nights now._

As she neared Jinora's room, she heard the cries slowly wane. Had someone else gotten to her first? She and Tenzin had told the other acolytes over and over that it wasn't _their_ responsibility to take care of the baby, but they seemed to enjoy it.

She paused outside the door, listening carefully.

"Shh, little one, why don't we let your mother sleep?"

 _Tenzin?_ Had he gotten home early? _That's nice._

She turned around, about to head back to her nice warm bed, when she heard his next words.

"Between you and me, little one, your mother hasn't gotten _nearly_ enough sleep in _ages_." Pema covered her mouth to hold back a giggle. _She_ was the one who wasn't getting enough sleep lately? When had her husband _ever_ gotten enough sleep? He didn't come to bed until late at night, and he was up every morning in time to greet the dawn.

But he was probably right. She _hadn't_ been sleeping well, at least, not as well as she once had-- not for nearly a year.

Her mother had told her this would happen.

_You were right, Mom. Again._

* * *

_One Year Earlier_

"I'm home!" Pema called out as she opened the door. She'd been living on Air Temple Island for years, but her parents' house would always be home.

"Pema?" Her mother poked her head out from the living room, eyes lighting up when she saw her daughter. In a few quick movements (no one would ever guess that the woman was well into her seventies), she bounded down the hallway and had Pema wrapped up in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"Hi, Mom," she said, leaning into her mother's arms. "Is dad around?"

"Nope!" The older woman rolled her eyes. "He and your brother went on some secret 'boys only' trip-- they're not going to be back for another week."

"A _week_?" Pema said, pulling away. "And you _let_ them?"

"Honestly, sweetie, just because I'm getting older doesn't make me an invalid," her mother said, laughing, "I'm perfectly capable of-"

"It's not _you_ , I'm worried about, it's _them_ \-- who knows what trouble those two will get in without you or Homura to keep them in line?" She was joking, of course, and her mother knew it.

After a few more minutes of chatting, the two women headed to the living room and sat down.

"So what brings you here today?" Mom asked.

"I.... wanted to tell you something." Pema said, looking down and smiling shyly.

"Oh my goodness!" Her mother clapped her hands together. "You're pregnant! Oh, that's so exciting! Make it a girl, will you-- your brother didn't seem to know how to do anything but boys, and I want at least _one_ granddaughter."

"I don't think it works that way, Mom," Pema said, not surprised how quickly she'd been figured out. They'd always been close, and her mother _knew_ how to read people. "Tenzin and I would be happy with either. But even if this one isn't a girl, the next one might be. Or the one after that."

She and Tenzin had both agreed that they wanted several children. She'd been practically an only child growing up, as her brother was significantly older than her, and had always wanted more siblings, while Tenzin had _loved_ growing up with siblings (even if they drove him nuts sometimes).

"Alright, fine," her mother said, groaning. "As long as I get one eventually."

They'd spoken for over an hour. Pema had been hoping her mother would be able to give her some advice-- she didn't know _anything_ about babies.

"But you're so good with children!" Mom said.

"Yeah, but children aren't _babies_." Her parents had been on the older side when they had her, so none of their friends had had babies for her to take care of as kid, and most of her nephews were older than she was.

Mom knew babies, though, and was been happy to pass over some of her wisdom.

"Alright," Pema said eventually, noticing the sun starting to lower in the sky. "I should get back to the island before it gets too late."

Her mother walked her to the door, giving her one last hug.

"Enjoy your last few nights of sleep," the older woman said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, first, you're going to get bigger," her mother explained, gesturing towards her stomach. "And that's going to be uncomfortable, and make it hard to get any sleep. And then you'll actually _have_ the kid, and she'll wake you up at all hours of the night."

"Yeah, but _eventually_ children learn to sleep through the night, don't they?" Pema was _pretty_ sure that was how it worked, right?

"Yes, but then you're going to worry. For the rest of your life."

" _What?!_ " Pema was so surprised, she nearly dropped the plate of food her mother had insisted she take with her. "Worry?"

"Yes, worry. That's what parents do. We worry." Mom looked her in the eye, all lighthearted teasing gone. "Understand this-- having a child is like spending the rest of your life with your heart walking around outside your body."

* * *

Pema hadn't understood those words, not really. Not then. But she did now.

"Your mother and I love you so much, you know that, Jinora?" Tenzin was saying. "Don't you ever forget it."

Smiling, Pema quietly tiptoed back to their room.

A few minutes later, Tenzin came in, clearly trying to avoid disturbing her, and slid softly into bed next to her. She rolled over and kissed him.

"Pema, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to wake you," her husband said.

"I wasn't sleeping, anyways," she said, perching her arms on his chest and looking down at him.

"What were you doing?" Tenzin asked.

"Worrying," she said.

"Worrying? About what? Is something wrong?" And now she could hear _him_ worrying. She laughed.

"Everything is perfect," she said. "I love you, you know that?"

"I would hope so," he said, lifting his head to give her a long kiss. Eventually, he pulled away, sighing. "It's late. We should get some sleep."

"You're right, it _is_ late. _Too_ late," Pema replied, a teasing hint in her voice. "At this point, we might as well forget about sleep."

"Oh?" Tenzin said, switching their postions so _he_ was the one leaning over _her_. "Then what would you suggest we do instead?"

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into another kiss.

There were no more words for a long time after that.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, this kind of ended up being more about Pema's relationship with Jinora than with Tenzin. I did try to get some cute Pemzin moments in there too, though! 
> 
> Hit me up on [tumblr](https://ljf613.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
